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Obama: Hagel for sec. of defense

Kristol-founded group's attack ad

White House defends Hagel

Democrats don’t love the former Nebraska senator because he’s a Republican. Republicans don’t think he’s a real Republican. And his past statements have at times angered two key Obama constituencies: Jewish groups and gay-rights activists.

But inside the White House, the choice makes sense. It appeals to Obama’s bipartisan spirit — and the optics aren’t bad, either — to have any Republican as Defense secretary when Obama is seeking to end the war in Afghanistan and dramatically reduce the Pentagon’s budget. Hagel brings even more credibility to the task because he’s a decorated Vietnam veteran and would be the first from that war to lead the Pentagon.

Hagel also has long-standing relationships with Obama and Vice President Joe Biden dating to their time in the Senate, and he’s a particularly close friend of Biden’s.

Defense isn’t the first high-level post the White House has discussed with Hagel: An individual who speaks regularly with Hagel said the White House has spoken with him about becoming Commerce secretary and CIA director, among other jobs. During Obama’s first term, Hagel has been in regular contact with the White House on foreign policy issues as co-chairman of Obama’s Intelligence Advisory Board and a member of outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s Defense Policy Board.

And the White House thinks he will win confirmation.

There’s still no evidence that any Democratic senators will vote against an Obama-nominated Hagel, and tradition holds that senators get an easy ride when up for Cabinet posts. Despite the vocal objections of a few GOP senators, only three have explicitly said they will vote against Hagel.

Hagel cost himself capital among Republicans for bucking party orthodoxy, but the White House is prepared for a fight over the GOP’s past foreign policy positions.

“If at the end of the day these guys are frustrated that he had the courage to buck his party on the Iraq War, that’s going to be a tough case to make to the American people,” White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

Longtime Obama confidant and political adviser David Axelrod tweeted Sunday night that “Attacks on Hagel r bogus. He’s tough, courageous, sensible & able to withstand political pressure to do what’s right for USA. What we need!”

Mike Buttry, Hagel’s former chief of staff, previewed how Hagel might defend himself against criticism by GOP senators during the confirmation process. Buttry said Hagel is “not blind” to the opposition to his nomination.

“He always just did what he thought was right. He always was trying to do what he thought was the right thing and never gave much thought into how it might be received,” Buttry told POLITICO Sunday. “He’s thinking about, ‘What do I have to do to do this job the best way I can do it?’”

Both Obama and Biden have traveled to war zones with Hagel — Obama during his summer 2008 Iraq and Afghanistan trips as the Democratic presidential nominee. But Hagel’s relationship with Biden runs much deeper and is more personal, a result of their 12-year bond from serving together in the Senate, including on the Foreign Relations Committee, Buttry said.

Did Obama just pick Hagel to be a shiny object diversion? What is Obama's other hand doing? With all spectrums opposing Hagel's nomination, why is Obama using so much energy and making it such an issue?

Hagel's nomination is thrilling for those of us who voted for Obama the anti-Iraq war candidate and challenger to the beltway security and political establishment. You know, the same grinding crews in both parties who brought us the Iraq war, endless encroachments on civil liberties and torture. Not to mention endlessly inflated homeland security budgets and a bullying, go-it-alone posture in the world. Add in the failure to stop illegal Israeli settlement activity, and you have the flabby, sclerotic neocon framework for maintaing the status quo, no matter who is in power, in all its seamy and smarmy glory.

The Hagel nomination blows that apart. And not a minute too soon. The reason he was nominated is his maverick questioning of the received beltway wisdom dovetails exactly with Obama's. Nothing could make Obama voters happier than to hear that the "old hands" and "seasoned political reporters" are scratching their heads.

I don't know what makes Hagel a good or necessary choice as Defense Secretary, other than he's a supposed Republican whom Republicans don't like. It does fit in with Obama's fake bipartisanship and his constant need to be fighting someone or some group. It also fits into the White House need to find something to defend Obama on when the debt ceiling/spending cuts fight comes up in a couple of months - they will likely be occuring at the same time, so that makes the defense of Hagel a convenient side show and the media will naturally take up the Obama defense as opposed to challenging Obama on his non-existent spending cuts and entitlement reforms.

apparently when it comes to biggoted remarks towards gays made 14 years ago, barney frank doesn't believe apologies for such statements can be sincere and people evolve. hell, the entire nation has evolved on LBGT issues in the last 14 years. otherwise barney frank stated that he thought hagel was intelligent and what you'd need to help cut the pentagon budget.

Barney Frank On Chuck Hagel: "I Think He'd Be Very Good" - The ...

schumer while not endorsing hagel openly, he did not close the door either.

Good choice! Anyone notice how Israel and AIPAC wants veto power over a US Defense Secretary. They wanted a Zionist neo-con that would take us to war on Iran, on Israel's behalf. They are upset that he referred to the "Jewish lobby" as if AIPAC doesn't exist although I think it would have better to refer to it as the 'Israeli lobby", since so many American Jews are turning away from Israel due to Netanyahu's policies. In my many years of observing elections, I have never seen the leader of a foreign country intercede in our election, let alone an alleged ally that we give billions to. Netanyahu tried to embarrass Obama with his war-mongering and than threw his support to Romney. Hopefully Hagel's nomination is pay back to Netanyahu for his and Israel's extreme arrogance. Republican Zionist neo-con Bill Kristol with his "Emergency Committee for Israel" has already been running advertisements against Hagel funded by AIPAC and Israel. The Republicans and their Evangelical base have been in AIPAC"s pocket for a long time so I will be curious who the Republicans are that care more about Israel than the US in their votes on this nomination. At least the Republicans are being exposed by the lobbyists that control their party like Norquist the lobbyist for the wealthy, AIPAC, lobby for Israel, and the NRA, lobbyist for guns and "Stand Your Ground" laws. The Grand ole Party sure has become the Sick ole Party!

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I live in a very republican area. Most of them voted for Romney. However, none of the ones I know want war without end - GOP style. They have not sent their children off to war. They are all looking for jobs in the private sector.

Senator Hagel said he was a US senator not an Israeli senator. Because he puts America first, the Israel-firsters call him anti-Semite. The Israel-firsters should move to Israel and stop dragging us into bankrupting wars for Israel.

Senator Hagel said he was a US senator not an Israeli senator. Because he puts America first, the Israel-firsters call him anti-Semite. The Israel-firsters should move to Israel and stop dragging us into bankrupting wars for Israel.

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Funny thing is, the ONLY time that you care to be heard is when you're spouting your anti-Semitism. People like YOU blame Israel (the "Joooos") when your coffee's too hot or your French fries are too cold. You think the rest of us missed that pattern? What's STUNNING to me is that gays and blacks seem to feel safe around you lunatics. As if your hatred couldn't change it's focus...

Jew hating conspiracies.

It's the place where the far left and the Christian Identity movement meet for pork ribs on Friday night.